Kendo information from Geoff

Kihaku

I am trying to recover after 4 days and 5 nights of keiko with Sumi, Uegaki, Tashiro and Mori sensei.

We have just finished the annual Sumi seminar and by the final day there was a clearly visible improvement in the standard of Kendo for all participants. On the last day we held a grading examination to 5th dan level and for the first time in my experience, 100 percent of the candidates passed. Of course the sensei worked on improving technique and posture and a lot of focus was put on correct footwork, but in my view, the biggest improvement made to everyone’s kendo was through improved kiai.

I sincerely believe that in the UK, we fail to teach beginners the importance of correct breathing and strong kiai and that this has a major impact on the ability to finish waza correctly. Whereas if correct breath control is taught, the technicalities of finishing a technique tend to take care of themselves. Ideally, you should breathe in sharply and hold the air in your abdomen, then let out a small amount of this air as kiai or kakegoe before you enter cutting distance. You should then expel the rest of your breath sharply as a loud kiai at the point of striking. The difference between Kendo with and without this is similar to comparing a bout between two professional heavyweight boxers and a friendly slapping match.

As we get older and move up the grading ladder, kiai or perhaps more appropriately kihaku (the strength of our spirit), becomes more important. Muscle power decreases, so we need to resort to the strength of our mind or spirit to break an opponent’s centre as we make an attack.

Watching people like Sumi sensei, who I have had the privilege of knowing for many years, you can see this transformation. Whereas twenty years ago I feared the speed of his attack, one is now transfixed by the strength of his ki.

So, coming back to our more immediate kiai concerns, what is the best way to train? The answer given loudly during the seminar was kirikaeshi. Deep breath, kakegoe, shomen and 5 yoko men with kiai without breathing in again – then stretch to shomen and seven yoko men. When you can do that go on to the whole forward and back sequence in one breath. It hurts! but, it will make one hell of a difference to your Kendo.

Post seminar practice at Imperial College – Sumi sensei in the second row center.

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5 Responses

Uegaki sensei and his sensei – Furya – are massive on kirikaeshi. Our dojo replaced all kihon at the beginning of keiko with 15-20 mins of kirikaeshi…. thats it…. at their command.

And at our dojos gasshuku this year (held at Uegaki senseis dojo) we must have done kirikaeshi …. 200 times or so, back to back. 50… 80… 100… I cant remember. Needless to say my post-keiko dip in the onsen felt great…. though the next day my body ached!!

Excellent post again, you can see some kirikaeshi where emphasis is put on timing, accuracy and footwork. Whilst these may become perfect, kirikaeshi with one long, loud breath / kiai is truley beautiful!

Had the grading anything to do with the “Postmans” grading advice the night before? Espcially the hoods and moonwalk!

Wow, this is without a doubt the clearest, most simple and best explanation of how to train yourself in terms of breathing. I put it into practice this morning at training and immediately felt in immense improvement in my form, speed and reactions.

Still a long way to go obviously, but thank you very much for the great advice!!